Candidate Stands by Nazi-Era Slogan

Henry Nitzsche, a parliamentarian for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has said he will stick by his campaign motto, "Work, Family and Fatherland," despite its association with the Nazi party.

Nitzsche, who comes from the eastern state of Saxony, told Der Spiegel magazine's online version that he planned to continue using the motto because it sums up his candidacy.

Dropping the tagline "could give the signal that democrats can't use these phrases," Nitzsche told the magazine. "We can't leave the topics of work, family and fatherland to the extremists."

Collaborators' motto

The slogan "Work, Family, Fatherland" was used by the Vichy regime in France, which collaborated with the Nazis in 1940. It was then taken up by the far-right NPD (National Democratic Party) in the fall of 2004.

Nitzsche denied that he had "any knowledge whatsoever of the previous use of the slogan."

Roland Koch, the CDU premier of the central state of Hesse, sided with Nitzsche.

"For our party, patriotism is self evident," Koch told the Rheinische Post newspaper.

Typically German?

Koch said the debate over use of the motto is a typically German one.

"In no other country would the use of these three words set off a debate over whether it should be allowed," he said.

Nitzsche's use of the slogan drew heavy fire from various critics, including the leader of Germany's Jewish community, Paul Spiegel, Social Democrat and Green politicians, and even members of his own CDU party.